A few days ago, I listened to an episode of “Secrets d’info” on France Inter Radio titled “Du basket aux affaires, la reconversion contrastée de Tony Parker.” The show analyzed Parker’s entrepreneurial ventures, highlighting the challenges and criticisms he has faced since transitioning from basketball to business.

As I followed the discussion, I noticed something: while the show focused on his struggles, it missed a crucial point.The real issue is not that Tony Parker is a bad entrepreneur, as some critics implied, but rather that he is navigating a phase that many talented individuals experience when entering the business world.

This phase is what I call the Pseudo-True Entrepreneur stage—a stage where ambition, creativity, and drive exist, but the critical skill of surrounding oneself with the right people is lacking. Instead of simply joining the critics, I want to use this article to explore how this framework helps explain his business journey constructively.

(For those interested, you can listen to the original podcast episode here.)

What Is a Pseudo-True Entrepreneur?

A Pseudo-True Entrepreneur is not a bad entrepreneur—far from it. This type of entrepreneur possesses initiative, boldness, and vision but struggles to build a truly self-sustaining business due to one missing piece: the right people.

The key traits of a Pseudo-True Entrepreneur include:
✅ Creative and resourceful – they generate ideas and pursue opportunities.
✅ Driven and proactive – they take action rather than waiting for things to happen.
❌ Struggles with delegation – they either trust the wrong people or try to do too much alone.
❌ Lacks a strong, reliable team – they haven’t mastered the art of selecting, developing, and retaining the right talent.

This is not a permanent state, but rather a learning phase—one that many high achievers, including Tony Parker, go through.

Why Tony Parker Fits This Framework

1. Creativity and Initiative? Yes. But Strategic Team-Building? Missing.

Parker’s creativity in business is evident. He’s taken bold initiatives, investing in sports, media, and other ventures. He has the mindset of an entrepreneur—he doesn’t wait for opportunities; he creates them.

But initiative alone doesn’t build a successful business. The most successful entrepreneurs understand that choosing the right people is as crucial as choosing the right business moves.

2. From the Basketball Court to the Boardroom: A Different Game

Parker mastered teamwork on the basketball court. He worked under great coaches, surrounded himself with elite teammates, and trusted a system.

However, business is not sports. In basketball:

• The team is built for you. Scouts, coaches, and managers assemble the right mix of talent.
• Your role is clear. You focus on performance while others handle recruitment and strategy.

In business, the entrepreneur is the coach, the recruiter, and the strategist. If Parker had applied the same strategic team-building principles from basketball to business, his journey might have been smoother.

3. The Missing Piece: Surrounding Himself with the Right People

The podcast criticized his business decisions, but it overlooked the real issue—his difficulty in assembling the right team.

Many ex-athletes, celebrities, and professionals fall into this trap:

• They assume their past success guarantees business success.
• They trust the wrong advisors, often picking familiar faces over competent professionals.
• They underestimate the importance of strong operational teams in running a business effectively.
  

Business isn’t a solo game. The most successful entrepreneurs are not the ones who do everything themselves but the ones who build the right team to execute their vision.

Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Tony Parker’s case is not an isolated one. Many ambitious entrepreneurs experience the Pseudo-True phase before evolving into True Entrepreneurs.

1. Business Success = Talent + Strategy + The Right People

Your skills and ideas are important, but your ability to choose and lead the right people is even more critical.

2. The Pseudo-True Entrepreneur Stage Is a Growth Phase

It’s not failure—it’s a phase of learning. Many great entrepreneurs started as Pseudo-True Entrepreneurs before realizing they needed to shift their focus to team-building.

3. The Fix? Master the Art of Team-Building

If Parker (or any entrepreneur) wants to avoid stagnation and setbacks, the solution is clear:
✅ Find mentors who have built businesses successfully in similar industries.
✅ Recruit complementary talent—not just people who agree with you but those who challenge and strengthen your vision.
✅ Be willing to adapt and learn—business requires a different mindset than sports or other career fields.

Conclusion: A Growth-Oriented View of Entrepreneurship

Instead of judging Parker’s business journey as a failure, we should see it as a learning curve. Many entrepreneurs go through this Pseudo-True stage before evolving into True Entrepreneurs.

The key takeaway:

Your past success doesn’t guarantee business success—your ability to build the right team does.

As business leaders, athletes, or professionals stepping into entrepreneurship, the most important question we should ask ourselves is not, “Do I have a great idea?” but “Do I have the right people?”

Want to Learn More? Download “The Secrets of a True Entrepreneur”

Final Thoughts

This blog post takes Tony Parker’s defense but also uses his case as a valuable lesson. The Pseudo-True Entrepreneur framework does not blame; it helps diagnose what is missing so that entrepreneurs can course-correct and grow.

What do you think? Have you ever faced a similar challenge in your business journey? Let’s discuss in the comments!